Shred of Hope
by RBCrazyFan
Summary: Sam/Jules - spoilers for episode 3.12 - sometimes that last bit of hope is what you have to hold on to


Disclaimer: Don't own Flashpoint. Contains 3.12 spoilers.

A.N. I saw the CTV promo and yeah...

Originally I posted this on livejournal but I realized that most people read here, not on livejournal (I was going to wait until the US airing to post but I changed my mind)

This one is for Jo - happy birthday

Enjoy!

* * *

"Sammy, sweetheart, where are you?" Jules called as she searched.

"Dad, have you seen Sammy?" She was trying not to panic but her three year old was in the exploring stage and got herself into all sorts of trouble.

Jim Callaghan came out of the living room and leaned against the wall, studying his daughter. After the disaster that had occurred after her wedding ceremony, she had done what he did - she fled. She told him that she was returning with him to The Hat and she had not looked back. He could see the panic in her eyes. "I'm sure she's here somewhere. I would have heard her if she left the house."

Jules nodded and continued calling for her daughter as she searched. "Sammy, sweetheart, please come out."

_Flashback_

_It wasn't like they had not discussed baby names. When they got home from the first shift after she told him, they had started to discuss it. For a boy, she had suggested combining his army buddy and Lou. They were both in agreement and were just playing around with which name would go first. For a girl, they had decided to use the names of his sister andher mother._

_Then they'd made their announcement and the shift from hell began. Afterthat shift, she knew that there was no question what she was calling her child, boy or girl._

_When Sammy was born, Jules took her baby and cradled her gently. Using the nickname that Sam had always used for her, she welcomed her daughter into the world. "Hi sweetheart. Your daddy would have been so happy to meet you." She kissed her daughter's forehead and then looked at Natalie. "Her name is Samantha but we're going to call her Sammy."_

_With tears in her eyes, Natalie left the room to relay the information to everyone in the waiting room._

_End Flashback_

Jules glanced at her watch. She had been calling for ten minutes already and she felt the panic rising within her. She had only had three panic attacks since that day but she knew she needed to find her daughter soon.

"Mommy!" a gleeful voice shrieked.

Jules took the stairs two at a time to the attic and found her daughter looking out the window. "Sweetheart, you shouldn't be up here without a grownup." She knelt and ran her hand through her daughter's hair, giving her own heart a second to calm.

"A car," her daughter told her, turning and smiling.

"What?" They weren't expecting any of her brothers and no one ever drove out this way. She peered out the window with her daughter.

"Uncle 'Pike! Auntie Winnie!" Her daughter cheered.

Jules' heart fell to her stomach. They wouldn't be here. Unless...

"Come Mommy." Sammy threw her arms around her mother.

Jules lifted her daughter and took in her scent as she slowly descended the stairs.

Her father met her on the landing. "They're in the living room. Do you want me to..." he wasn't sure what she needed.

"Dad," she whispered. "Stay with me."

Jim nodded. "I'm right here honey."

Jules stepped into the living room and set her daughter down. "Uncle 'Pike," she cried, running to him.

Spike hugged her and twirled her before passing her on to Winnie. It was only then that he stepped towards his former teammate and guided her to the couch. He took a seat next to her. "Jules..."

"Just tell me," she whispered. "I don't understand why you couldn't call me. You're needed in the city." They only came to the Hat for Sammy's birthday and maybe one other time during the year. The rest of the time they chatted through skype or Jules came into Toronto.

Spike sighed. After that fateful day, the team had disbanded. Leah was the only one that remained part of SRU. Winnie had stayed on as a dispatcher for a while until she too moved on and away from SRU. She now helped Spike with terror and bomb threats across the region as a Federal agent. "Jules, the home has a new doctor."

Jules raised an eyebrow. "So?"

Spike shifted and looked at her. "She thinks that one of the drugs is causing it. She wants to talk to you before she switches the cocktail."

"You mean..." she shook her head as tears filled her eyes.

"Sam might wake up?" Jim whispered in amazement. After all this time, his son-in-law might actually come out of his coma.

Spike nodded and Jules dissolved in tears. Spike held her close. "Winnie and I came to get you. Winnie has a few days off so she can watch Sammy. You can't drive in this state Jules."

Sammy wriggled out of Winnie's arms and wandered over to her mother. "Mommy sad?"

Jules reached for her daughter and held her close. She didn't know how to explain her emotions to her daughter. "No sweetheart. Mommy's not sad, mommy's scared. We're going to go pack a bag and then go with Uncle Spike and Auntie Winnie, okay?"

Sammy nodded.

Sensing that Jules needed a minute, Winnie spoke. "Come Sammy. Let's go pack your bag while Mommy packs her bag."

Sammy jumped up and chattered excitedly as she led Winnie up to her room.

Jules looked at her father. "Dad?"

Jim sighed. "I'll follow you. I have a few things that I have to take care of before I leave but I'll be there for you honey."

Jules nodded and allowed Spike to lead her up to her room. Once there, Winnie and Spike switched. Winnie helped Jules pack while Spike took Sammy to "help" him move her car-seat from Jules' truck to Spike's.

* * *

Sammy fell asleep on the way, with one hand safely ensconced in her mother's. Once she was asleep, the questions started tumbling from Jules' lips. She wanted to know everything and was frustrated when Spike didn't have the information.

They drove straight to the home. Winnie stayed in the car with Sammy (who was still fast asleep) while Spike went in with her.

The nurse at the front desk told them to go to Sam's room and she would send the doctor.

Spike led her to the room. She could have walked their blindfolded. He had not been moved into a different room since she had been convinced by his parents that it was the best option.

As soon as she walked in, she made a beeline to the bed and dropped a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Hey Samtastic," she said softly. "I miss you so much." A tear slipped down her cheek. "Sammy's growing up without you and I really need you to wake up." She hated the fact that she could not be with him every day but she had moved away to give herself some distant from the tragedy, after Sammy was born. She knew that Sam would have wanted their daughter to be raised in a happy home and she would not have been able to do that in Toronto. As it was, every time she came to Toronto to see him she was a sobbing mess, to the point that once Sammy didn't need to be nursed and started sleeping through the night, her father kept Sammy with him or Winnie and Spike took her.

Spike squeezed her shoulder in a reassuring manner as they both heard a light tap on the door.

They both turned as a young raven-haired woman walked into the room. "Mrs. Braddock?" she asked quietly.

Jules eyed her carefully.

The woman smiled. "I know. I look young, I am young. I just recently finished my residency but both of my parents were doctors and so is one of my brothers. The hospital was practically my second home from the time I could walk."

Jules nodded. "What are you going to try?"

The woman motioned for them to sit. Jules sat on the edge of the bed and took Sam's hand in her own, leaving the other two chairs for Spike and the doctor.

The woman opened a chart. "I'm Doctor Fressman and although I'm new here, something with your husband's chart doesn't seem right." She launched into a whole medical explanation and included how she would change his medicines in hopes that he would wake.

Jules swallowed hard when she was done. Throughout the years she had picked up a lot of medical jargon. "So what you're basically saying is that Sam could wake up and be okay?"

"Well, he will be in a lot of pain at first. According to the charts, you were there. You know the extent of his injuries. Some of that pain might linger. I don't know. We also don't know about his mental capacity once he wakes."

Jules bit back sobs but couldn't stop the steady flow down her cheeks. "We'll deal with it," she choked out, squeezing Sam's hand. "Whatever it is. I want him back. Do it."

Dr. Freesman nodded. "We will start with his next dose of medicine. Do you want to stay here or should I call you?"

Jules closed her eyes. "When is his next dosage?"

"Two hours from now."

She looked at Spike. "Can you guys..."

"We can take Sammy for the night. Why don't we go back so you can say goodnight to her and then I'll bring you back."

Jules nodded. She wasn't sure when she went from a badass cop to a sobbing mess. "One more thing. Will he be in pain when he wakes up?"

Dr. Freesman nodded. "Probably. And we will transport him to the hospital when that happens."

Jules nodded and they turned to leave. As they reached the door, she turned back. "Dr. Freesman, thank you."

* * *

She held Sammy tightly as she said goodnight to her. The little girl was not happy that Jules was going. "Hey sweetheart," Jules said softly as she held her daughter close. "Ask Uncle Spike to call me before you go to sleep. I will talk to you on the phone, okay?"

Sammy nodded and buried her head in Jules' neck for a second before releasing her. Spike stayed and Winnie drove Jules back to the home. "You need anything, even just a shoulder to cry on or someone to stay with him for a few minutes, you call."

* * *

That was twenty hours ago. Jules hadn't left his bedside since. She spoke to Sammy twice on the phone and she missed her daughter with a fierce ache but Sam was not going to wake up alone. She remembered coming out of her anesthesia when she was hit by the bullet and how he was there for her. She was going to be there for him.

His hand twitched and her heart leapt to her throat. "Sam?" she whispered.

Dr. Freesman walked in and smiled at Jules. "He's waking up. It might take a while but it is working."

Jules nodded and watched the doctor check his vitals. She waited for the doctor to leave before climbing into the bed. She curled up next to the man she loved, the man who was her husband for scant hours before the accident occurred. "I love you Samuel Braddock," she whispered. "Please, please wake up." She rested her head on his shoulder, afraid to place it on his chest.

She didn't know how long passed before she felt him shift under her. She lifted her head. "Sam?"

He shifted again. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently. Her whole face lit up when she felt him squeeze back.

"Sam?" she whispered again.

His eyes fluttered open. He tried to talk but couldn't.

Jules ran a hand through his hand. "Shh, it's okay. The doctor will be in soon and she will probably let you have something to drink." She pressed the button for the doctor.

The doctor must have been close by because there was a knock on the door right away. Dr. Freesman stepped into the room. "Welcome back Constable Braddock," she greeted. She checked him over and then handed Jules a cup of water with a straw.

Jules held the water for him and watched as he drank. She didn't notice that Dr. Freesman remained in the room.

Sam finished the water and then looked at her. "You okay sweetheart?"

The dam burst and she felt the tears cascading down her cheeks. "I'm gonna be okay now that you are."

Sam winced as he shifted and rested his hand on her stomach. "And the baby?"

She gasped and froze.

Dr. Freesman stepped up to the bed. "Constable Braddock -"

"Sam," he interrupted.

She nodded. "Sam. How much time do you think has passed?"

Sam held her gaze for a long moment and then turned to Jules. "Are you saying...did you have to..." He shook his head. "No! That can't be!" His heart monitors started beeping erratically.

Dr. Freesman ordered Jules to wait in the hallway as two nurses rushed in.

She came out to Jules a few minutes later. "He's sedated for now but I'm not sure what the issue was exactly. The protocol is to move him to the hospital so that they can assess him. I'm arranging for a transport now."

Jules nodded. With trembling fingers, she dialed her father's number while slowly walking back to Sam's room.

Jim answered on the first ring. "Jules?"

"Dad. Can you meet me by St. Pats?"

"Jules...talk to me."

"He's awake. Bring Sammy." She hung up and sat on Sam's bed, watching his chest rise and fall.

Dr. Freesman knocked on the door. "Mrs. Braddock? The medics are here. Is it okay if they come in?"

Jules nodded.

Dr. Freesman smiled. "My brother is on call now in the ER. He is going to meet you there and make sure that Sam gets into a room right away."

Jules nodded and then Dr. Freesman motioned for the medics to enter.

"Jules? You okay?"

Jules turned. "Steve." Relief flooded her. She trusted Steve and knew that if something happened en route, he would take care of Sam.

Steve gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and then moved with his partner to load Sam onto the stretcher.

* * *

Once in the hospital, Jules was kicked out of the room while they settled Sam. She paced the hallway, waiting for news.

Finally the doctor came out of Sam's room. "Mrs. Braddock?"

Jules nodded. "How is he?"

The doctor sighed. "My sister said he seemed fine and then suddenly had a panic attack. Do you mind if I ask what you were talking about?"

Jules closed her eyes. "He asked me if I was okay and then he put his hand on my stomach and asked about the baby." She looked up at the doctor and saw confusion on his face. "My daughter is almost three." She shrugged. "He might think that I lost the baby if he doesn't know how much time has passed."

The doctor nodded. This case was one of the highest priority but he remembered it clearly. It was one of the worst days Toronto had seen in a long time. "Okay. He should be awake soon. We have to break it to him gently."

Jules nodded. "Can I go see him?"

The doctor smiled. "Of course. I will be back soon."

Jules slipped into the room and made a beeline for the bed. She dropped a gentle kiss on Sam's head and smiled as he shifted. "Hey," she said softly.

Sam opened his eyes. "Hey sweetheart." He looked around. "Why am I in a different room?"

Jules sighed. "You've been out of it for a while. They moved you out of the hospital into a home. Protocol is that when you woke, you had to be sent back to the hospital for tests."

"And what about you?" His hand once again dropped to her stomach.

Her cell phone buzzed before she could answer. She flipped it opened and smiled at the text. "I'm not brushing you off. I will answer your question but I need to grab something first."

She stood and left the room, accidentally leaving her cell phone behind. Sam picked it up and read 'we're here' from Jules' father. He wondered what was going on.

* * *

Jules stepped into the waiting room and Spike immediately pulled her into a hug. "The doctor just told us the news. He said that Sam will probably have some lower body trouble in the beginning but the nurses made sure to exercise his arms multiple times a day."

Jules nodded, taking in the information. She knew that it was probably because of his father's pull that he got the best of care and she was thankful.

Jim stood. "Sam's parents will be here tomorrow. They couldn't get a flight any earlier."

Jules nodded and extended her hand to her daughter. "C'mere Sammy. I have something to show you."

Sammy eagerly walked to her mother and lifted her arms. Jules hoisted her daughter into the air and let her squeal with delight before settling her on her hip.

As she walked, she spoke to Sammy. "Remember when you asked me about why your cousins all had Daddies and you didn't?"

Sammy nodded. "I no have Daddy."

"Yes you do sweetheart. Your Daddy was a police officer and got hurt helping other daddies. We're going to go see him right now." She reached Sam's door. "You have to be careful, okay."

Sammy nodded.

Jules pushed the door in and Sam gasped in surprise. "Jules!"

Sammy wriggled out of Jules' arms and walked to Sam. She crawled up onto the bed. "Daddy?"

"Hi princess," he whispered softly, tears cascading down his cheeks unchecked.

Jules stepped closer as Sammy cuddled up against him. "You tired sweetheart?" She ran her hand over Sammy's cheek.

Sammy nodded. "Stay with Daddy?"

"Yes."

As soon as Sammy was asleep, Jules looked at Sam. He was watching Sammy, his eyes filled with awe.

"I know we discussed names but when she was born..." she trailed off and swallowed her tears. "All I could think about was how proud you would have been. Natalie stayed with me the whole time and all I could think about was how this," she ran her hand through Sammy's hair, "was a part of both of us. I named her Samantha but we call her Sammy."

Sam grinned. "Guess you won't be calling me Sammy anymore."

Jules shook her head and wiped her tears.

Sam watched her. "Jules?"

"I'm fine."

"No you're not but that wasn't what I was going to ask." He waited for her to look at him. "Can you help move her to my chest? I want to hold her but..."

Jules nodded and stood to help. "It's been over three years Sam. She'll be three in a couple of weeks. I know that this is going to be hard for you but we'll be here every step of the way."

Sam reached up and pulled her down so he could kiss her. "I know. But right now I'm tired and I just want my wife to climb up next to me so I can sleep with my family right here."

Jules climbed up next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I really missed you," she whispered.

Sam didn't say anything. He wasn't tired but he saw the exhaustion in her eyes. He knew that she needed sleep.

Once she was asleep, he allowed his mind to wander. Obviously things had changed in the last few years and he knew that Jules would probably not tell him the half of it. He would have to rope Spike into spilling.

He didn't even realize that he was drifting off. His last coherent thought was that he told her that they were meant to be and that she had his heart but now this little girl had his heart as well.

* * *

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